Princess Charlotte may only be eight years old, but she is probably already aware that she could receive a very special title when she grows up! As Prince William and Kate Middleton‘s only daughter – and of course, because her father will one day be the King of England – she will likely inherit the very special Princess Royal title at some point in the future.
The Princess Royal title is traditionally bestowed on the monarch’s oldest daughter, and it is currently held by Princess Charlotte’s Great Aunt, Princess Anne, who is the late Queen Elizabeth II’s only daughter. The Princess Royal title is one which stays with you for life, so Princess Charlotte won’t be able to inherit it until Princess Anne passes away, even if her father Prince William becomes King of England before then.
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What Is The Princess Royal Title?
"The title of Princess Royal is traditionally bestowed on the eldest daughter of the monarch," royal expert and author of Prince Harry: The Inside Story Duncan Larcombe explained to Town and Country magazine, adding, "It is a title that remains for life, so Princess Charlotte will have to wait at least until the death of the current Princess Royal."
Princess Anne became Princess Royal in 1987, when the late Queen Elizabeth II bestowed the title on her. The previous Princess Royal was Princess Mary, the eldest and only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary, who held the title between 1932 and 1965.
Although Princess Charlotte would be entitled to the Princess Royal title, it isn’t a title which is automatically given, and Princess Charlotte would have to wait to be officially given the title by the monarch. "Princess Anne had to wait until 1987 before her mother the Queen bestowed the title of Princess Royal on her, even though the title had been vacant since 1965," Larcombe said.
The Prince and Princess of Wales may even wait until Princess Charlotte is married to bestow the title on her, due to a very ancient British law that might make her dating life a little challenging, shall we say. "Under ancient British law, any man who sleeps with the Princess Royal before they are married is guilty of high treason, punishable by execution!" Larcombe exclaimed, adding, "Perhaps Princess Charlotte’s future boyfriends had better look out. At the very least, Wills and Kate are likely to wait until after Charlotte marries before giving her the title."
As things stand, there are no reports on what additional titles Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children could have in the future. But even though their parents stepped down as senior royals, both Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor are currently entitled to the titles of Prince and Princess as grandchildren of the reigning U.K. monarch. Their titles were officially updated on the royal family website earlier this year, and they are listed as Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. Prince Harry and Meghan are still using their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, but were officially stripped of the HRH titles earlier this year.
